In August 1942 the All India Congress met in
Bombay, and was presided over by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Again the demand
to set up a provisional Government was made.
'We can no longer hold back our people from
exercising their will,' Gandhi said. 'Nor can we go on eternally submitting
to the imperialist policy. The time has come for the English to go. Civil
servants, army, officers, Government officers all of them should quite
India.'
The 'Quit India' resolution was drawn up and
passed the meeting for presentation to the Government. Jawaharlal moved the
resolution and Sardar Patel seconded it.
The resolution also announced the starting of
a mass struggle on the widest possible scale.
Winding up the meeting, Gandhi said, 'I have
pledged the Congress, and the Congress has pledged herself that she will do
or die.'
The Government did not wait for the mass
movement to begin. Overnight Gandhi was arrested, and also many other
leaders in various parts in India. Gandhi was interned in the Aga Khan's
palace in Poona. Mahadev Desai, Kastubai, Mrs. Naidu, and Mirabehn were also
taken there.
But with the leaders in jail, India did not
remain idle, movements every where. And there was great outburst of violence
throughout the country. People started destroying government buildings and
whatever else they considered to be symbols of British imperialism.
Shortly after his detention in the Aga Khan's
palace Ganhid suffered a grievous bereavement, Mahadev Desai, his faithful
and able secretary, died of a heart attack.
'Mahadev has lived up to the "do or die"
mantra,' Gandhi said. 'This sacrifice cannot but hasten the day of India's
deliverance.'

With Lord Pethick-Lawrence, 1946

All over India there were strikes and
disorder. Lord Linlithgrow, the Viceroy, attributed all this to Gandhi.
Gandhi had invited violence, he claimed. In a long series of letters to Lord
Linlithgow Gandhi tried to persuade him to retract this charge against him.
Failing in this, Gandhi decided to undertake a
fast as 'an appeal to the Highest Tribunal' against the unjust charges.
Gandhi fasted for twenty-one days in February 1943. It was a great ordeal,
but he survived the fast.
Kasturbai nursed him back to health, but her
own health was failing. She suffered two heart attacks. Gandhi tried his
best to save her, but Kasturbai grew worse. One day she died quietly in
Gandhi's arms.
A few weeks later Gandhi was taken seriously
ill with malaria. The Indian people demanded his immediate release and the
authorities, believing that he was nearing death, released him. Gandhi was
slowly resorted to health.
The demand for Indian independence had now
grown in to a world-wide question. Apart from India's own attitude, America
and other countries pressed Britain to grant freedom to India. Churchill did
not yield to any of these approaches. India had always been of help to
British property and Churchill was the last man to think of giving up India
and thus make Britain the poorer.
Two months after Germany's surrender in May
1945, the Labour Party came into power in Britain and Attlee became the
Prime Minister.
After the defeat of Japan a few months later,
the British Government announced that they expected to, grant
self-government to India as soon as her internal problems could be solved.

The Scientist

This was a victory for India. It was for
non-violence. Britain, defeated by the peaceful revolution, would not hold
on to India any longer. Britain agreed to a planned withdrawal from India,
without bitterness and in friendship.
All through his life Gandhi had worked for
unity between the Hindus and the Muslims. But he had not had much success.
There was a large section of nationalist Muslims in the Congress, but the
heads of the Muslim League were drifting further and further away. Gandhi
was not man to give up hope, however, and he pursued his efforts to bring
about a settlement. On the other hand, Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim
League, was hostile to the idea of unity. He demanded a separate Muslim
State before freedom was given to India.
The Viceroy invited all the leaders to Simla
and tried to find a solution and bring about Hindu-Muslim unity, Jinnah
would not agree to anything, however. He insisted on having a separate State
to be called Pakistan.
Britain announced an election in India and the
election was held. The Congress won most of the Muslim seats. The deadlock
continued.
'We can settle the Indian problem in ten
minutes if Mr. Gandhi agrees to the creation of Pakistan,' said Jinnah.
'Cut me in two,' cried Gandhi, 'but do not cut
India in two.'
He spoke to deaf ears. British Government sent
a Cabinet Mission India. It consisted of Lord Pethick Lawrence, Sir Stafford
Cripps, and Mr. A.V.Alexander. The task of the Cabinet Mission was to study
the situation and suggest what should be done. After careful consideration
the Cabinet Mission issued a statement proposing the withdrawal of British
authority from India. They had the idea of a united India.